Joanna Barsh

Director Emerita at McKinsey & Company, Joanna Barsh served consumer-facing clients for over 30 years, leading growth strategy, performance transformation, organization effectiveness, and leadership development projects. In 2008, she launched The Centered Leadership Project at McKinsey to further develop this initiative, which aims to accelerate the development of aspiring leaders globally.

Joanna has long been a strong advocate for women's advancement. She served on NYC’s Commission on Women’s Issues from 2002 to 2013, invited by Mayor Bloomberg. She has conducted ground-breaking research on unlocking the potential of women and has spoken extensively with business and government leaders worldwide, including in Australia, Brazil, and China, on this topic. Joanna co-chairs the Leadership Working Group on the U.S. State Department’s International Council on Women’s Business Leadership and facilitates its Centered Leadership program in Sweden.

Joanna Barsh is the author of "How Remarkable Women Lead" and "Centered Leadership." Her latest book, "Grow Wherever You Work," helps rising leaders accelerate their growth by embracing challenges. She holds degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Chicago, and Harvard Business School, where she was a Baker Scholar. Having completed 20 years on the board of Sesame Workshop, she continues to serve on the boards of Genesco and Sesame Workshop, and is a member of the Compensation and Nominating & Governance Committees.